Under proposed rule, H-4 spouses could get employment authorization document if their H-1B spouse is filing for an employment-based green card. A minimum period of time in H-1B status will need to pass, though USCIS has not specified the amount yet. The new rule would add “comparable evidence” to the regulatory list for researchers and professors, something that the other exceptional immigrant visa categories contain. Allow outstanding professors and researchers to present a broader scope of evidence of academic achievement.

Because its harder to get a business loan in this horrific environment, more software companies are adopting a model (at least in the software industry) that provides their franchises/channel partners a bigger chunk of the license fees. This provides some relief in the short term but how much is still the question.